A year-old sexual assault on a West Valley trail is back in the spotlight after DNA testing led investigators to a suspect, according to court documents. Prosecutors say 34-year-old Latrell Levi Lauhingoa is now charged in Third District Court with attempted rape and forcible sexual abuse in connection with a May 23, 2025, attack that left a woman with multiple cuts and bruises. A nearby resident chased the assailant away, and the woman survived. Investigators say forensic testing produced a DNA match that reopened the stalled case.
According to KSL, charging documents allege Lauhingoa approached the woman on the trail, grabbed her, threw her to the ground, and "placed his hand over (her) mouth to prevent her from screaming" while trying to remove her pants. The affidavit describes "multiple cuts, abrasions and bruising" on the victim's back, chest, arms and legs, and notes that a nearby resident jumped over a wall to chase the attacker away. Prosecutors filed two second-degree felony counts, attempted rape and forcible sexual abuse, on Friday in Third District Court.
DNA testing's role in solving cases
Investigators say the case turned when a laboratory generated a DNA profile that could be entered into state and federal databases. Utah's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative has helped bankroll testing and lab capacity, a push that advocates and agencies credit with producing hundreds of CODIS hits and new leads in older sexual assault cases. The state SAKI program reports that testing and database uploads have helped identify hundreds of suspects.
Charges, past cases and penalties
Prosecutors told KSL that the DNA profile from the 2025 assault also matched an assailant in a 2015 sexual assault investigation, and detectives are now reviewing that older file as part of their work. KSL reports the charging documents list Lauhingoa as homeless and 34 years old. Under Utah law, forcible sexual abuse is defined in Section 76-5-404, and sentencing statutes provide for indeterminate prison terms for felony convictions. Utah Code outlines the sentencing ranges that may apply.
Anyone with information about the assault is asked to contact West Valley City Police non-emergency dispatch at 801-840-4000 or the department business line at 801-963-3300. West Valley City officials also provide an online reporting system and tip line for non-emergencies. The case is moving through Third District Court, where prosecutors will determine the next steps for arraignment and the presentation of evidence.
